


Idol Worship

by GizzardGizzie, twixt_haw_and_thorne



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Abuse, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Blood and Gore, Cults, Dead Dove: Do Not Eat, Drugged Sex, Eventual Happy Ending, Feral Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd, Fluff, Gang Rape, Human/Monster Romance, Hurt/Comfort, Imprisonment, M/M, Mind Break, Monster Dimitri, Non-Consensual Drug Use, Psychological Torture, Rape/Non-con Elements, Recovery, Ritual Rape, Ritual Sex, Substance Abuse, Torture, Violence, no beta we die like Glenn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-04
Updated: 2021-03-04
Packaged: 2021-03-17 08:26:55
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,164
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29838756
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GizzardGizzie/pseuds/GizzardGizzie, https://archiveofourown.org/users/twixt_haw_and_thorne/pseuds/twixt_haw_and_thorne
Summary: Edelgard's five-year terrorizing of the country is over but Claude von Riegan, Sovereign Duke of the expanded Alliance of Leicester, still has other problems to contend with. A beast bearing the face of a man is ravaging villages and razing the land to the east of Derdriu, and to prevent more tragedy, he goes to deal with the problem itself. But some believe this beast is their savior, and Claude will have to assimilate to even see the face of this new horror...
Relationships: Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd/Claude von Riegan
Comments: 3
Kudos: 27





	Idol Worship

**Author's Note:**

> A sort of classic 'they've imprisoned a mad beast and used it to their ends' cult which, of course, Claude falls in love with. But be warned, there's LOTS of blood, torture, and rape... all in the name of their all-important rituals, of course.

No one hired him to do this; he didn't need money. His chief concern was the welfare of the people of his country, and Sovereign Duke or not, he was going to do it by himself. He wasn't about to put anyone else in danger. He wasn't the sort to cower behind a title.

He left his other work in the capable hands of his retainers. Lysithea, Hilda, and Marianne could keep the country running in his absence, he didn't have a single doubt in his hand-picked team. As soon as he left behind the silken trappings and fine jewelry of his station, Claude von Riegan slipped into the night, past his own guards, and vanished.

He didn't plan to be gone for long.

He'd heard the rumors. And worse, he'd seen the damage. The blood. The sheer volume of gore and viscera. A single village destroyed in one night, not a single survivor left to grieve. Another small town, hundreds dead, the living babbling about some golden monster. If anyone else were in charge, they'd send armies. But this clearly required more finesse, one of his better qualities.

"And who might you be, stranger?" the kindly innkeeper asked, tucking her grey curls behind her ear.

"Khalid," he smiled, friendly as he tossed her an extra coin for her hard work. "Just a traveler."

"Khalid, hm?" she chuckled. "That's a name I've certainly never heard before." She pocketed the coin, passed him a drink, a drink he planned only to pretend to sip.

"What can I say? I guess I'm just a strange guy."

His calculating eyes took in every detail. The trail of fingertips through the dust on the high shelves. The cough of an old man two seats down, folding the blood into his handkerchief. The two young women excitedly gossiping in the corner. His expert machinations, all of his schemes led to this area, a few dozen miles in diameter. All of the incidents had led him to believe somewhere in this small area would be the spot. After all, this was just the first tavern on his stop. He wasn't sure he'd find any evidence here. But if he did, all the better.

"Khalid, huh?" the old man coughed down the bar. "S'a foreigner's name." He squinted his beady little eyes at him.

Claude bowed his head in agreement. "I like to travel around,” he returned coolly, without offense. He’d certainly been insulted worse than someone pointing out he was a foreigner. But time to turn the conversation to more helpful matters. “I’ve been searching the continent for work and the like for awhile now." Claude rested his drink on the bar, tracing a finger around the rim as his gaze wandered over to his new conversation partner.

He was an old man and a busybody, the most helpful type. All he had left to do in the world was pry into other people’s affairs and stick his nose in their business, so he surely knew something, even if he didn’t recognize it for its worth. "I take it you don't get many travelers coming through here, then." Reaching up, he brushed through his curls before taking a more relaxed position against the bar. At least, it looked convincing enough, but he was still very much on guard. Claude didn’t know the meaning of the word ‘relax.’ The knife he concealed close to hand was proof of that. "Was passing by when I heard rumours of an attack a few days ago now. Some poor old woman seemed to believe it was the work of some twisted beast. Sure would hate to run into anything fitting that description." Enough to pry, but not enough to give away any intentions.

He was, obviously, a diligent reader of body language, but he didn't need to be, not with the way the old man reacted, recoiling, his hand shaking so badly he spilled his ale on the counter. This seemed to be normal because the gentle innkeeper just calmly wiped up the spill.

"Ye'd be wise to steer clear," the old man grunted, shaking his head sadly. "This beast... he's like nothing ye could describe. They say he's a man... but he ain't human."

"Oh, Albert," the innkeeper sighed. "You know those are just rumors." She turned to Claude with a sad little shake of her head. "Dreadful business, those poor people... they say the Duke's put out pleas of evacuation. Kind of him, to think of the people but..." She shrugged. "Where are we supposed to go? This is home."

"Ye'll die if ye stay," Albert growled back. "He's been making his way east. Towards Derdriu slow-like."

"It's probably just some wild beasts," she countered. "Hush now, no need to stir people up, Albert. Everyone knows there are demonic beasts out in the trees."

"It  _ were  _ a man, I'm  _ tellin'  _ ye!" he growled, slamming his drink on the counter.

East, back towards the capital, between here and home. That was where Claude would be traveling.

"A man, but not human, huh? Certainly sounds like quite an interesting creature," he hummed thoughtfully to himself, trying to process what he'd been told and what his next plan of action would be. He scanned his memory for anything resembling that description. But that was probably all he was going to get in this tiny place; it was time for him to move on, find more evidence. It was getting late into the evening now, there would be beasts in the woods; whether they be some monster or a pack of wolves, he'd need to be careful. But there was no resting with a beast running loose and killing whole villages of farmers.

After the  _ riveting  _ conversation between the tavern owner and the old man, Claude excused himself to retire to the room he'd purchased for the night. There, he'd spread his supplies out on the floor to take stock, manage his belongings on hand, concealing important items where they'd be most convenient before slinging his bow and arrow around his shoulders. 

He lifted the window without a squeak, deciding it was better to leave in secrecy then arouse any suspicion; a foreigner slipping away in the night, people might think  _ him  _ responsible for anything that went wrong. Thanks to the aid of a nearby tree, he slipped to the ground round the back of the tavern and landed with only the softest  _ puff  _ of dead leaves. His careful eyes missed nothing when scanning the horizon as he moved on in the easterly direction. 

Hopefully that old man wasn't lying, or this would just be a waste of time. And a waste of time was a waste he could not afford with lives on the line.

"Sarah, come on. It will be fun! There's lots of attractive men there..."

The two young women who'd been gossiping in the tavern had finally gathered their cloaks and were presumably headed home in the dark, still chatting away.

"I don't know... you said you go every week?" Sarah didn't seem too keen on this, whatever it was. They hadn’t seen Claude yet.

"Yeah! Trust me, it's a party," the other one giggled, holding her arm tightly. "There's music, dancing, and wine... And I met someone there that I think you'd just  _ adore." _

"Hm... Maybe just once..." 

They were also, as luck would have it, headed east.

Hearing the two voices, Claude had been quick to hide behind some brush as he knelt and overheard the conversation. They were heading his direction and meeting with other people? This late? Well, he figured he’d just invite himself along.

Standing to approach the pair, Claude scuffed his boot clearly against the gravel so as not to startle either of the women with a sudden call, pulling the hood back from his face. 

"Surprised you two are heading out so late!" He took note of their suddenly tense behavior and kept his voice light and cheery "Heading into the woods all by yourselves? You know it's quite dangerous out here, don’t you?" Where all else failed, his charm could likely pull him through, giving both the young women a playful wink. "I was just heading for a stroll myself, I'd be more than happy to tag along if you'd like someone to keep you safe."

Sarah, startled by his approach but otherwise at ease, flushed under the light of her lantern. She gave him a little curtsy, something he was not at all used to. He didn't spend a lot of time with country villagers like Sarah. "O-oh, good evening sir," she mumbled, taken aback. "We're not heading too far in, but we'd be honored if you joined us." She was clearly too young for him, but she seemed to have a little crush, the way she twirled her hair nervously.

The other girl, however, looked at him more suspiciously, clinging harder to her friend. "How kind," she said flatly. "A strange man offering to accompany two unarmed women into the forest." 

"Mattie!" Sarah gasped. "She... she didn't mean it, sir..."

Claude couldn't help the laugh that escaped him hearing the flat tone from such a seemingly young girl. He waved his hand, looking to them both with a wide, friendly smile. "No, no, your friend is right to be cautious, there's plenty of people out there willing to lure young ladies like yourselves; especially in the middle of the night. I'd sleep much more soundly tonight knowing you two made it to your destination unharmed. You need not acknowledge me if you'd like, but again I'm heading for a walk this way anyhow and I think it's a win win scenario if we head out together." Claude had no idea if this party might be a lead; if anything, it could just be two innocent country girls going out to have some fun, but either way it served a purpose to accompany them.

"Come on, Mattie," Sarah insisted, tugging her friend's sleeve. "It's safer to have a man with us... no one will bother us!"

"He's got weapons," Mattie pointed out, but she seemed to cave under Sarah's pleading a bit. "Oh, fine. But I swear to the Goddess, no funny business!" she warned him.

As they set off, Sarah continued to twirl a curl near her ear, looking over at Claude, who Mattie made walk beside them instead of behind them. "I couldn't help but overhear in the tavern," she said nervously. "You're Khalid, right? Where...where are you from?" Poor country girl, trying so earnestly to flirt with him.

Claude was trying to imagine two girls being out so late at night and the likelihood that there was nothing suspicious about it, but his attention could be easily divided. He gave Sarah a quick nod. "Eavesdropping, huh?" He'd go along and let her indulge in her flirting, play along if it would make her happy, and get the information he needed. "I'm not exactly from any particular place, I'm a mercenary who travels around the country looking for hired work." He was sure to keep track of both their footfalls, as well as the surroundings as they entered the trees. "At the moment I'm just exploring the area, had my curiosity peaked when I heard the rumors about what attacked the nearby village, I guess you could say." He raised a brow. "You two haven't seen any beast like old Albert described, have you?"

Mattie balked. "Albert is crazy," she said, rolling her eyes. "It's probably demonic beasts. When the old Duke Oswald was ruling, we didn't get any relief. He didn't care about us country folk."

"Now Mattie, I'm sure that's not true..." Sarah tried, seeming to want to keep the air calm.

"It  _ is _ though. The new Duke is nicer. Cared enough to try to help us evacuate. I heard he's handsome," she smiled. Young people in the country really only had one thing on their minds, of course. "Maybe Sarah can spin some of her charms on him," she teased.

_ "M-Mattie!" _

As they laughed and walked, they only skirted the trees at the path’s edge, somewhat fearlessly. They were used to the area after all. But Claude could see light ahead, hear music.

"See, Sarah! I told you there was a party. Come on!" She took her friend's hand and rushed forward, both of them laughing. They couldn't be older than sixteen. These were the people Claude sought to protect, no matter their view of him. Though it was nice they seemed to like him more than his stuffy old grandfather. Claude let them run ahead; perhaps he'd bump into them later, thank them in some way for leading him to this hopeful location.

As he made his way over at his own pace, Claude kept his eyes peeled for any suspicious individuals. Right away he made himself at home alongside the other party goers, taking drinks offered to him and performing a few card tricks he knew with a pack he kept on hand. It was a gift of his, his most fortunate one; people normally didn’t mix with foreigners, but he had a way of smoothing those wrinkles. From what he could gauge, those partying here were mostly younger than him, though a few older folk mixed in with the bunch. Surely this was just a country town event started up by some teenagers desperate for something other than farmwork to do.

Nonetheless, given the proximity to the newly demolished town, Claude kept his focus on as many people as he could. He certainly didn't  _ drink  _ anything offered to him (even while he pretended to accept), nor did he leave any of his belongings around, minus the deck of cards, which he'd left with a group of kids who clearly would make better use of it than him. By now it had been a good two to three hours since he'd arrived, confident to say he'd mingled enough to not entirely stick out like a sore thumb. Scanning the crowd, he took a seat nearby a small gathering of older party goers, trying to listen in on their conversation.

It wasn't an unusual chat. The older folk, perhaps in their early thirties, were complaining about the crops and a bad harvest, a rusty plow, a horse getting sick, that sort of thing. It was honestly interesting to hear, given Claude usually listened to nobles bicker about grander things like money and land ownership rather than the problems of tending to the earth itself, but it wasn’t particularly illuminating to his current problem. Claude knew to listen carefully and be patient, though, so as he watched Mattie flirt her way around the room and Sarah follow her more nervously, he waited, pretending to sip his drink when he heard the complaints about bad farming equipment turn to religion.

"Seems like the Goddess has abandoned us lately, hasn't she?" a tired man sighed, staring into his drink as he watched the younger couples dance. He wasn't that much older than Claude, but the weight of the world seemed to age him. "What with bad crops, no rain... and now beast attacks."

"You're right there, James," another woman sighed, shaking her head and tapping her boots, riddled with holes. "Seems no matter how hard we pray, she ain't listening."

"Could use another Goddess, huh? But I don't think the pagans, frolickin' around on the full moons or whatever are doing much good either. What we need is action."

It was quite the change of pace hearing concerns coming from country folk. Normally the barons of a particular swath of land would solve the issues for the more rural folk, so Claude never quite heard their plights without digging into it for himself. Needless to say the moment he'd heard of the attack, he'd dropped almost everything to find the cause, which was what led him here now.

For now he decided it was best to just sit and listen to the conversation unfold. After all, joining in would likely arouse suspicion, and could end up changing their disposition entirely. He pretended to drink more heavily, even sway the tiniest bit, while making the ale disappear in increasingly creative ways.

Claude wasn't one to worship the Goddess himself, though he wasn't exactly against her altogether. He'd seen some miracles unfold before his very eyes after all, but there was no knowing if that was some divine intervention, or fate. Being the new duke, he was a lot more open minded to all sorts of different worship, from within Fódlan and beyond. That being said, he had to keep his eyes out for any group of people willing to discuss disapproval for the Goddess. There could always be other motives than praying for better crops, or a better lifestyle when a group of people prayed to an unknown deity.

The woman chuckled dryly. "James... you're always going on and on about taking action. What are you going to do, huh? Take on the beasts one by one with your trusty shovel?"

James was patient while they all guffawed, chuckling at his expense. "Mock all you want, Beth. I have a plan this time." There was a glint in his eye, the sort of glint a man of intense devotion might have. They didn't take him seriously, laughing all the while. Any other man might have been annoyed, but James sat there patiently, explaining himself.

"What do you do when no one helps you, Beth?" he asked her, smiling as he gestured with his ale. "You take matters into your own hands. You find yourself a solution. You take the burden of change onto your shoulders. I'm not a fancy noble, I don't have the best education. I'm just a wheat farmer on the edge of a town near the recent disasters. For all I know, my little farmstead's gonna be next. But mark my words, Beth. I'm not sitting around and waiting, no siree."

Beth looked uncomfortable while she laughed now. "You're talking like you're going to march into the den of the beasts yourself, James."

"Might," he said simply. "The den might be warmer than you think."

"Now just what do you mean by that, James?"

He shook his head, chuckling. "Never you mind. Drink your ale and fuss about your problems instead of creating solutions. I don't mind none."

Bingo. No one sat around talking about vague plans for change in that dreamy tone unless they knew what was up. Or at least thought they knew. He might be crazy, or he might know something they didn’t. Seemed like as good a lead as any. This could easily be something bigger, hell, perhaps even conspiring against the Goddess herself, there was no way to to tell. He’d seen a lot of miracles during the five-year war, not all of them with pleasant consequences.

Still, the way James had noted this hypothetical den, that didn't quite seem like a coincidence. Perhaps there was some darker force at work here.

After an appropriate amount of time passed, Claude watched the man get up to get himself another drink, and decided that was about time to act. He followed, but openly, not wanting to spook him.

"Pardon me... James, I believe it was?" He offered a smile, grabbing himself a new drink as well that he'd be feeding to the potted plant. "My apologies, I didn't mean to interrupt you, but I couldn't help but hear your conversation." He let out a sigh. "I know you can see I’m not from around here, anyone with eyes can. The Goddess certainly hasn’t done anything to help me either. I was hoping perhaps you could offer me some guidance? You seem to know a bit about taking fate into your own hands."

The man didn't appear startled or suspicious, but like any wise man, he remained just a bit cautious. "Do I, friend? James Miller," he said, offering his hand, rough and calloused from years of farm labor. "There's quite a few like you these days. Travelers who don't know who to turn to for help. Lost souls." He shook his head. "I don't bear any particular grudge against the Goddess. Just got tired of wishing she'd pay me more mind. I assume it's the same for you, then? What can I call you?"

He certainly didn't have a fancy education, but he sounded smarter than the average farmer around here. Definitely the sort of man who might seek secret new beginnings.

Claude was quick to accept the man's hand with a polite nod. "Name's Khalid. I've just been passing through town and thought I'd relax for the night." He offered the man a smile, giving him a firm shake before bringing his hand back again, brushing it against the familiar concealed weight of his weapon. It was clear the man had seen his fair share of strife, though it was hard to tell exactly just how far he'd go to relieve any strife. Claude had seen many desperate people do many desperate things. "I wouldn't say I have anything against the Goddess either. She brings a lot of hope to plenty of people, after all. Just not you and me, I suppose," Claude shrugged. "I've been travelling around this fair country, and I've come across plenty of different people going through their own hardships just as I am. I'm always interested in hearing others’ perspectives. Who knows? One of them might eventually help me."

James laughed softly. He was such an enormous man; not quite as wide as Claude's schoolmate Raphael, but certainly just as strong. Like Raphael though, he seemed kind, with a warm smile. "Travelers always want to hear stories, huh? Makes sense." He gathered his drink and ordered another one for Claude, returning to his seat and offering an open seat to him. "My story isn't so different from a lot of folks around here. Crops are dying, Khalid. Doesn't affect the nobles enough to get their aid or attention, they just get food elsewhere since they can afford it. And the Goddess?" He shook his head. "She ignores our prayers. Most folks just give up. But I'm not that kind of man." There it was again, that light in his eye, that gleam. "Someone's got to take action. There's no running from these problems if we want a future for our children. An' me, I got two hungry daughters at home. You get me?"

A man with his own troubles, willing to take his own life into his own hands, taking care of two daughters, it seemed to add up, but Claude hadn't made it this far in life taking everything at face value. There was something fishy about this, that look in his eye especially.

"I completely understand. Honestly, it's quite disheartening hearing so many people around here have been struggling lately." He shifted in place, brushing his hair from his face with a sigh and disguising another fake sip. "Life can be unfair, I know that myself, but there's not much you can do to change that." He looked James right in the eye. "I am curious though, how do you plan on taking life into your own hands? Certainly don't imagine it involves sending a letter to any noble around here." No letters that didn't bear marks of respected and popular households were taken seriously at all; even as the Duke, he was trying his best to change that, but it was proving to be an effort. Most high in status just didn't respect those they walked so freely upon. 

James laughed, but he clapped a comforting hand to Claude's shoulder. "You're joking. Sending letters to nobles doesn't exactly count as taking matters into your own hands, does it? But don't lose heart, traveler," he smiled, gazing into his ale and swirling it around a bit. "There's plenty you can do. I know some folks who've even gone into the woods to take down the beasts themselves."

His smile dropped. "Of course, they never came back. There's a difference between brave and foolish, Khalid. And like I said, I got two daughters, I can't afford to be foolish." 

"I wouldn't take you for a fool at all. I find it quite inspiring you're willing to take charge." The smile Claude gave him this time was pitiable indeed. "Do you have any plans on how you intend to make such a change? I've got my own ordeal I'm trying to work through. Any aid from some higher being… I'm willing to give it a shot." 

After every scar Edelgard had razed across Fódlan, there remained wounds that festered. Black beasts, the subjects of her gruesome Crest experiments, roamed the land freely, terrorizing the people. Many of them succumbed to their power, fell prey to their jaws. Others, if the beast still retained enough humanity to speak, fell prey to their manipulations. Dangerous cults formed under their black maw. Claude wouldn't stop a budding religion if it was a healthy support system, but the beasts always demanded payment for their power in blood. Claude had put a lot of people behind bars for their ugly, twisted crimes, and he had a feeling this beast who had ravaged two villages? James Miller knew something about it. Maybe more than he cared to admit right now, but Claude had his own theories. 

"Well, friend, if you're searching for a higher being, good luck," James sighed. He had stopped drinking, which might be a sign of suspicion if he was trying to keep a clear head around Claude. Or maybe he was just interested in him. Curious. "I think I've had my fill of gods and goddesses I can't even see, you know? Seemed to me like the priests could just spout any old nonsense that they wanted and people would give them money when they didn't even do anything." He shook his head. "No, gods and goddesses, I'm through with them. Sometimes, maybe all you need is a hero. A creature you can prove is real. Maybe you'll find one for your little problem too."

He was definitely hinting at something, but he was skirting around it loosely. Was he testing Claude? Hard to say.

"I can certainly see the appeal of seeing someone so powerful in the flesh. I know all too well how any priest out there can spit nonsense the masses will drink without any proof but their good word." By now Claude had placed his drink down as well, though noticeably untouched. In truth, he hadn't been paying much mind to it. He was close to something here, it was a matter of just convincing this man to show him what he meant. "Is something like that even possible? What kind of being could feasibly exist and be willing to offer aid to us common folk?"

Now James was facing Claude square on. He was no longer pretending not to notice Claude's digging, was giving him an intensely burning stare. Someone not just believing but  _ devout. _

"What kind of being?" he repeated softly. "What else could such a being be but a living legend? A mortal, like us, but so powerful that they could bear the strength and skill of an army in just one body... I bet you've dreamed of such legends, haven't you? We speak of our own ancestors that way sometimes, don't we?" he breathed, closing his eyes. "Every person in every village, in every part of the world has legends, friend. Legends ignore boundaries. They cross borders, they hold a piece of the world in their hands."

He seemed almost go be in a daze as he spoke, as though hypnotized. After a moment, he seemed more clear again. "But... Most people don't believe anymore."

Claude faced him in return. "I can certainly say I've heard legends of heroes, and while they were mostly just tales I've heard over the years, I've certainly not forgotten them altogether. Have you ever seen such a being for yourself?"

James nodded. "Once," he whispered. "He was beautiful. So powerful that he transcended the very limitations of a normal man." He stared into his drink. "I dream about him. About the way he shapes the world with his own two hands. I know legends are real, friend. Not just a story."

Claude just dumbly nodded along. "Consider me captivated, this guy sounds like he'd be an incredible sight to behold." His glanced down at James' full drink, then back up to him again. "I'm honestly a little jealous..

I can't imagine how it must have felt witnessing such a powerful being. I've been through a lot myself, been trying to start anew, but I can't quite get the proper footing." Surely this didn't sound too eager, too farfetched, but hopefully James wasn't so protective over this source of pride in his life that he wouldn't be willing to share with curious ol' Claude. "If I may be so bold as to ask, how would someone like me get such an opportunity? To behold such a powerful and beautiful being? Where is he now? Is there a chance at all for me to behold him too?" It was a lot of questions to prove his eagerness, but Claude had done this dozens of times before. He knew what worked. 

James hesitated for the first time, scrutinizing Claude with a more practiced eye than anyone might have guessed of a simple countryman. Slowly, he picked up his drink, drained the entire tankard in one go, and then set it aside, licking his lips nervously.

"Friend.. Khalid, was it? There... Might be a way. But once you know, there's no going back. There's no way to turn away. Knowledge can't be forgotten, even if you wish it." He stared at him. "It will change your life, and the path you're on. Do you still want to know?"

Of course there was a risk to all of this, there was always a risk, but Claude had a way of wriggling his way out of dangerous situations one way or another. This seemed worth looking into at the very least, his curiosity was certainly there.

"If it'll change my miserable life as it is now, then I see no reason to walk away. If it's been worthwhile for you, I'd like to give this a chance." Trying to lighten the seriousness of it all, he offered the man a wink. "Like you said, I have to be willing to take my life into my own hands, right?"

James nodded once, bowed his head and then leaned back, eyes closed. A tear slid over his rugged cheek, as though a miracle had just occurred. For all Claude knew, it had.

"Take this," he said quietly, pressing a strange silver coin into Claude's hand. "Rent the basement room. If you follow willingly into the darkness, then you will finally see the light."


End file.
